Thunderbirds? Why no Basschat Love?

[waynepunkdude]

They are proper ugly.

[bassix]

Love the look and sound, pain in the arse to actually play.

[AndyTravis]

Got one at work...really want to buy it, way too skint.

Just a really cool bass, and I love the sound and feel of them, just a weird honk from the bridge pickup and then roll in the neck pickup and 'woomph' nice big warm sound, lovely.

Pelham Blue, Chrome Hardware...would be a dream.

But, whatever, i'll take anything.

[cycrowave]

sure i like them, shame gibson/epiphone never made a lefty....

[leezo666]

I love my epi blackbird I recorded with it for the first time today and it blew my socks off lol

My biggest problem with it was trying to find a case for it. got one now though thanks to generous parents and sheer luck that my local shop only managed to get one of the epiphone hard cases and saved it for me

[dc2009]

[quote name='waynepunkdude' post='1238825' date='May 20 2011, 11:10 PM']They are proper awesome.[/quote]

Fix'd

[bassmachine2112]

Hi ,got an epi t-bird pro 4 and it,s great.Love it so there are a lot of marmite bass lovers on here.
They are different from the fender norm industry standard sound.
T-birds,Ricks,musicmans all have their own voice and followers it seems at times that the fender camp just shout out about how right that sound is.
Who is right .
Love yer Bird I say their just jealous that the,ve got coffee table basses with matching slippers and pipe.

[bassmachine2112]

Better get ma tin hat on then and get on the couch

[Billy Apple]

I've been trying to buy one for a while now, but no one seems to stock them.. Seems bizarre to me... Don't Gibson want to sell stuff?

[spinynorman]

[quote name='billyapple' post='1240961' date='May 22 2011, 10:26 PM']I've been trying to buy one for a while now, but no one seems to stock them.. Seems bizarre to me... Don't Gibson want to sell stuff?[/quote]

That's a common complaint amongst Gibson fans, even in the US. Gibson see themselves as a luxury brand alongside Cartier and Rolex, so they're a bit snobby about who they have as dealers. And it's easier money to sell Les Paul guitars to bankers. You need to find your nearest Gibson dealer and see if they'll get one in for you.

[dc2009]

[quote name='billyapple' post='1240961' date='May 22 2011, 10:26 PM']I've been trying to buy one for a while now, but no one seems to stock them.. Seems bizarre to me... Don't Gibson want to sell stuff?[/quote]

DON'T. BUY. NEW. for the love of god

[Billy Apple]

[quote name='spinynorman' post='1241021' date='May 22 2011, 11:45 PM']You need to find your nearest Gibson dealer and see if they'll get one in for you.[/quote]

Been round a few dealers, and no one has them in. Guitar Guitar told me 6 months waiting!

[Billy Apple]

[quote name='dc2009' post='1241057' date='May 23 2011, 12:35 AM']DON'T. BUY. NEW. for the love of god [/quote]

Why? Apart from saving a few quid?

[dc2009]

[quote name='billyapple' post='1241117' date='May 23 2011, 05:53 AM']Why? Apart from saving a few quid?[/quote]

The depreciation on a new, high-end bass like that is like that of a car. I'm all for spending thousands on a single bass, provided you have a decent guarantee of the resale value being not too much below what you bought it for. You may not plan to sell the thing, but it would be foolish not to think that you may want or need to one day.

Gibson TBs are not that common S/H, but you save yourself a few knicker on the new model, and if you keep it in the condition you get it in, and pay a reasonable price, you can sell it on for as much or perhaps more realistically, at least get a reasonable figure for it if you trade it for another bass.

[Billy Apple]

[quote name='dc2009' post='1241398' date='May 23 2011, 12:03 PM']Gibson TBs are not that common S/H, but you save yourself a few knicker on the new model, and if you keep it in the condition you get it in, and pay a reasonable price, you can sell it on for as much or perhaps more realistically, at least get a reasonable figure for it if you trade it for another bass.[/quote]

I think you are right, but I've been looking second hand for a while now, and nothing (Decent) seems to come up. I thought what the hell, I'll go for a new one, but no one seems to have any of those either! I've got a P Bass and was wanting something different. I'm starting to think I'll get a new P Bass. Anyway, we'll see.

[dc2009]

[quote name='billyapple' post='1241567' date='May 23 2011, 01:36 PM']I think you are right, but I've been looking second hand for a while now, and nothing (Decent) seems to come up. I thought what the hell, I'll go for a new one, but no one seems to have any of those either! I've got a P Bass and was wanting something different. I'm starting to think I'll get a new P Bass. Anyway, we'll see.[/quote]

Decent ones come up from time to time, sometimes there's none, sometimes 4 or 5, check egay, gumtree etc for anything. Imo it's worth the wait, there was a nice black one on fleabay a while back that didn't sell at £700. Search completed listings, you might find it, make an offer! Or go for an off the shelf epi TB pro - imo they are the best TBs made by epiphone, and will fill your TB void until you can trade up to a gibson (that's what I'm doing).

[NancyJohnson]

A rare post from me.

I've owned a Gibson Thunderbird for about a year, during which time it has become my main bass. It's a '94 in classic white and I imported it through Ishibashi. For no good reason other than I can, here's what it looks like:



Now then the pro's and con's.

The stock bridge is awful, very Heath Robinson and before the bass arrived I already had a Hipshot replacement on order. The strap lugs were awful as well, so I changed them for Dunlop Straploks. Moving along, neck-dive. Yes, it's slightly neck heavy (yawn)...the added ounces from the new bridge perhaps subliminally go some way to resolving the issue, but to be honest I only played the bass on the strap once before I swapped over the bridge, so don't feel qualified to argue one way or another. To be honest, I'm a little tired of the whole neck-dive argument; sure if you're going to assume a JC pose every time you play it, then yes, the bass will rotate head first towards the ground, but very slowly. Jeesh. Get over it, it's not life threatening. Buy yourself a wide strap. Insofar as the neck goes, it's super thin and very fast.

The bass plays well sitting down, the body is pretty thin; the centre core is around the same depth as your regular bass (45mm), the wings 28mm deep. It weighs under 8lbs. Audibly, it sounds the nuts. Honestly. Through a Sansamp, it sounds immense.

Finally, it looks so uber-cool. How could anyone say these basses are ugly? Look at my avatar. I'm a slightly overweight guy in my forties. It doesn't get any worse than that, but thankfully, I have all my hair. When I play this bass, I feel like a skinny guy in my twenties. Go figure. It sounds great [i]and [/i]makes me look good. It's like magic.

P

[waynepunkdude]

Good to see you, Nancy.

[TheRockinRoadie]

I was really dissapointed when i tried a Thunderbird. I think they look FANTASTIC - but just hated the way it played and sounded. Might be something I'd order to hang on the wall in my studio...

[bassmachine2112]

Framed full size picture-cheaper and can cover up some dodgy walls but you have to hear it in the mix.
That is where they work.

[Billy Apple]

I played an Epi Pro a few weeks back and was mightily impressed, but it's the real deal I'm going for. The way I look at things is that I'm already spending £400 on an Epi Bird, so the Gibson is just costing me the difference, if you can get that logic! I've just worked 4 7day weeks to get the pennies together

[Billy Apple]

[quote name='NancyJohnson' post='1242033' date='May 23 2011, 06:57 PM']Finally, it looks so uber-cool. How could anyone say these basses are ugly? Look at my avatar. I'm a slightly overweight guy in my forties. It doesn't get any worse than that, but thankfully, I have all my hair. When I play this bass, I feel like a skinny guy in my twenties. Go figure. It sounds great [i]and [/i]makes me look good. It's like magic.

P[/quote]

Nice post, and a very cool looking rig.

[dc2009]

NancyJohnson, that is absolutely gorgeous, pretty much all I am gassing for right now is a 5er version of that exact bass, in that colour, though I'm fairly sure such a bass doesn't exist.
When I'm famous I'll get an endorsement and make them make me one like that, and a black one with all gold hardwardwae incl pickguard - secksy!

[amnesia]

[quote name='NancyJohnson' post='1242033' date='May 23 2011, 06:57 PM']Audibly, it sounds the nuts. Honestly. Through a Sansamp, it sounds immense.[/quote]

I have just added a Sansamp to the front end of my VBA400.

It will flay the skin off an elephant at 400yards.*


Out of curiosity I tried the Epiphone standard, Goth and Pro while I was waiting for a Gibson to come into a dealer for me to try. In my (very) short trial they are nowhere near the Gibson in any respect other than outline shape. The Pro is active so it sounded more like my Warwick! My favorite of the three Epiphones was the Goth by a long way.


* Obviously proving this little factoid is slightly difficult, as elephants are not as common in Staffordshire as they were in ye olde dayes.

[Ou7shined]

[quote name='NancyJohnson' post='1242033' date='May 23 2011, 06:57 PM']....Moving along, neck-dive. Yes, it's slightly neck heavy (yawn)...the added ounces from the new bridge perhaps subliminally go some way to resolving the issue, but to be honest I only played the bass on the strap once before I swapped over the bridge, so don't feel qualified to argue one way or another. To be honest, I'm a little tired of the whole neck-dive argument; sure if you're going to assume a JC pose every time you play it, then yes, the bass will rotate head first towards the ground, but very slowly. Jeesh. Get over it, it's not life threatening. Buy yourself a wide strap......[/quote]
Nice one.